Boat propulsion and steering device



Nov. 12, 1963 N. s. WARNER BOAT PROPULSION AND STEERING DEVICE FiledJuly 30, 1962 F IG .6 MENTOR NORMAN S.WARNER %A-444\1. 22 ATTORNEY FIGSUnited States Patent 3,110,283 BOAT PROPULSIQN AND STEERING DEVICENorman S. Warner, 14574 Springvale St., Poway, Calif. Filed July 30,1962, Ser. No. 213,538 1 Claim. (Cl. 115-29) This invention relates to apropulsion device for attachment to a boat, either a surface craft or anunderwater craft.

The invention contemplates a propulsion device that is manually actuatedand requires no driving motor or other external power although, thedevice may conceivably be actuated by an engine to be substituted forthe hand operation. The device basically is intended for manual or handoperation.

The invention has for its object to provide a propulsion device thatincludes multiple, flexible, contra-movable rudder shaped propellerswhich are attached to and moved by vertical shafts which project intothe water. The proximity of the propellers to one another directs andtakes advantage of the water between them so as to more effectivelyproduce a forward motion to the craft in comparison to a single scullingdevice which pushes much of the water aside and thus wastes much of thepotential power available.

1 -e invention also contemplates a device of the above notedcharacteristics that is also capable of steering the craft due to itsrudder shaped propellers and with minor modifications, can be made toper-form a reverse action.

The device is also unique in that the propelling medium is immersed inthe water without extra appurtenances such as normal rudders and housingwhich would otherwise add to the drag.

A further object of the invention is to provide a propulsion device forwater craft that is simple in construction and its use and is economicalto manufacture and easy to install. It can be used in very shallow waterand gives added safety in proximity to water skiers or bathers.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be more clearlyapparent during the course of the following description, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawings wherein has been illustrated apreferred form of the device and wherein like characters of referenceare employed to denote like parts throughout the several figures.

Referring to the drawings:

FIUURE 1 is a view partly in side elevation and partly in sectionshowing the invention supported upon a stern portion of a water craft,

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged top plan view of the device as illustrated inFIGURE 1,

FIGURE 3 is a transverse vertical section taken substantiaI-ly on line33 of FIGURE 2,

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary section taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFIGURE 1,

FIGURE 5 is a diagrammatic illustration showing the motion and waterdisplacement as performed by one outward motion of the propellingblades, and

FIGURE 6 is a similar view showing the blades when swung in an oppositedirection toward each other, creating a venturi effect.

Referring specifically to the drawings, the numeral 5 designates thestern portion of a water craft, such as the row boat or the like. Theboat 5 is provided with the usual transom 6.

Bolted or otherwise connected to the transom 6, as by bolts 7 is abracket, indicated as a whole by the numeral 8. The bracket 8 isprovided with a base plate 9, that is apertured to receive the 'bolts 7.The plate 9 is provided with a pair of converging ribs 19, welded orotherwise connected to a cylindrical bearing sleeve 11. The bearingsleeve 11 rotatably supported a shaft or pin 12, having a dfildihdPatented Nov. 12, 1563 ice lower head 13 and with the upper end of theshaft 12 being threaded at 14 to receive a securing nut 15. The bearing11 projects a suitable distance above the ribs 10 for a purpose to hepresently described.

Also engaging the upper end of the shaft 12 is a flat and preferablytriangular mounting plate 16. The plate 16 is apertured at 1'? formounting upon the shaft 12 and whereby the plate may be rocked in ahorizontal plane. The plate 16 at its rear corners is provided withjournal bearings 18, receiving vertical rock -shafts 19. The rock shafts19 are provided with fixed collars 2 supporting the shafts upon theplate 16 and preventing the shaft from dropping downward-1y. Each of theshafts '19 are provided with a right angularly disposed crank arm 21 attheir upper ends. The crank arms 21 have pivotal connection at '22, withforwardly extending links 23. The links 23 are pivotally connected at24- upon opposite sides of a hand crank 25, having a vertical arm 26,that is pivotally supported at 27 to the forward end of the plate 16.The handle is provided with a friction grip 23 whereby the handle 25 maybe pumped up and down for n'iovement of the links 23 and to cause thecranks 21 to rotate the shafts \19 in opposed relation. The journalbearings 18 are also duplicated at the lower end of a gusset plate 18'formed integral with the plate 15.

Fixed upon the lower extremities of the rock shafts 1? are rearwardlytapered propeller blades 29. The blades 29 are fixed to the lowerterminal ends of the rock shafts 19 by set screws 3%. The lowerextremities of the rock shafts may be non-cylindrical or possiblyserrated to prevent any tendency of the hub portions 31 of the blades 29from turning with respect to the shaft 19 or, any suitable bushing maybe installed within the hubs 31 and bonded thereto but of coursenumerous means may be employed to connect the blades to the lower endsof the rock shafts. The blades 29 may be formed of rubber, plastic orany other suitable material that may be capable of flexing as the rockshafts are oscillated. The forward end of the blades may be notched asindicated at 32.

Operation The racket 8 having been mounted upon the transom of the boat5 in any desirable manner, the plate 16 is pivotaily connected to thepin 12 and secured against displacement by the nut 1S. The plate 16 isnow free to rotate in a horizontal plane under the influence of crankarm 25 and whereby the propelling action of the blades 29' may becontinuous during any lateral movement of the crank arm 25. Thus, duringthe pumping action of the crank arm 25 to oscillate the rock-shafts 19and a simultaneous lateral movement of t e crank arm 25, the propellingaction of the blades 29 will continue to impart a driving movement tothe boat and in the direction of the lateral movement of the crank arm25'. The plate 16 constitutes the main actuating frame, since itsupports the crank arm 25, the rock shafts =1? and the links 23, allbeing so mounted upon the pin 12 that they are moveable in a horizontalplane by the crank arm 25 and causing the shafts 19 to becontra-rotating with respect to each other.

As the crank arm 25 is lifted upward, the links 23 rotate the rockshafts 19 in a direction to swing the blades 29 outwardly, such asindicated in FIGURE 5. The movement of the blades :29 functions in amanner somewhat similar to the tail of a fish, creating a combinedmotion between the blades 29, first trapping water between the bladesand then as the crank 25 is moved downward, the blades 29 are moveabletoward each other as indicated in FIGURE 6, squeezing the water frombetween the blade-s much in the nature of a venturi tube and creating aforward thrust to the craft. The stabilizer propellers or blades 29 aspreviously described are formed of rela-' tively strong but flexiblematerial, such as rubber or plastics and permits the blades to bemoveable toward and from each other according to the pumping action ofthe crank 25. Simultaneous with the propulsion of the craft, the crank25 may be swung laterally, while at the same time maintaining thepumping action or propulsion of the blades 2? and such action varies theline of force imparted by the blades in accordance with the anguiarityof the crank 25, functioning to steer the boat in any direction Withoutinterfering with the forward propulsion thereof. Various alterations andrearrangement of the stabilizer propellers may if desired, beconstructed to move forward or back on the shaft to gain a possibleadvantage in power or speed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that a very novel form ofcombined propulsion and steering mechanism has been provided forrelatively light draft boats. The structure is simple, has few partsthat may be economically manufactured and assembled with a minimum ofeffort. It will of course be obvious that the elements of the inventionwill be manufactured of a material having a high degree of resistance tocorrosion.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the preciseconstruction shown, but that changes are contemplated as readily fallwithin the spirit of the invention as shall be determined by the scopeof the subjoined rclaim.

Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

A combined propulsion and steering device for Water craft that comprisesa rigid bracket for fixed attachment to a stern portion of the craft andsubstantially central with respect to the center line of the craft, thebracket being provided with a vertical cylindrical bearing, a platepivotally supported upon the bearing and rotatable through the medium ofa pin extending through the hearing and the plate, the plate being flatand generally triangular in shape, a rear portion of the plate being provided with vertically aligned and spaced apart journal bearings, rockshafts rotatable in the bearings and with the rock shafts beingvertically disposed and having their lower extremities submerged in thewater, the upper ends of the rock shafts being provided with cranks, ahand crank that is pivotally supported upon the forward end of the plateto swing in a vertical plane, links pivotally connected through the lastnamed crank and also to the cranks of the rock shafts and wherebyvertical swinging movement of the last named crank will impart anoscillatory movement to the rock shafts through the medium of the links,the lower ends of the rock shatfts being provided with propulsionblades, the blades being flexible and streamlined longitudinally, theblades havingfixed connection to the rock shafts whereby to preventrelative rotation of the blades with respect to the rock shafts, themovement of the hand crank causing the blades to swing toward and fromeach other for impinging on the water in a progressive series of venturimovements and whereby to propel the boat in a forward direction or in alateral direction in accordance with the lateral positioning of the handcrank.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,281,915 Carrier May 5, 1942 2,628,586 Hoffman Feb. 17, 1953 FOREIGNPATENTS 974,481 France Sept. 27, 1950 539,091 Italy Feb. 3, 1956

